Telugu superstar Nani dropped out of college, once earned Rs 4,000 per month. Now he has a Rs 10-crore 'Humble' farmhouse to relax at. A look at his jaw-dropping networth

Today, he is one of the highest-paid stars in Tollywood, with two Nandi Awards, three Filmfare Awards South and four SIIMA Awards to his name. Yet, Ghanta Naveen Babu, aka Nani’s journey to superstardom, was anything but easy. Born into a totally non-filmi family, Nani did not have any contacts in showbiz. He aspired to be a director; however, producer Anil Kumar Koneru permitted him to serve as a "clap director" on his production, Radha Gopalam (2005), with director Bapu. He subsequently appeared in films like Allari Bullodu (2005), Astram (2006), and Dhee (2007) before debuting as a leading actor in Ashta Chamma.

According to a report by The Better India, Nani earned a meagre Rs 4000 per month when he first joined showbiz. He also used to wait for 16 hours outside a director’s house to request a role in a film. He also worked as a radio jockey.

In an interview with the Times of India, Hyderabad, Nani revealed how he had sacrificed his education to become an actor. He revealed he dropped out of college, he was struggling with grades to become a full-time actor.


“I was in Wesley Boys back in 2000, struggling with my grades. My vice-principal suggested I try something else, seeing that I wasn’t cut out for academics. So I dropped out of college. I remember feeling lost, but I was determined to find my way into cinema. I realised I had to be where films were actually being made. That led me to Film Nagar, where I spent years asking around, showing up at offices repeatedly, and learning the workings of the industry,” he said.

His break did not come until Director Mohan Krishna Indraganti noticed him in an advertisement and offered him the lead role in the romantic comedy Ashta Chamma. A Telugu adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest, the movie became a major hit, and Nani also received critical appreciation for his performance.

He went on to star in many successful movies, such as Ride, after his successful debut. But he became a household name only after the 2011 rom-com Ala Modalaindi, which saw him opposite Nithya Menen (the movie was also her Telugu debut). The movie became a blockbuster and is considered one of the greatest Telugu movies by Film Companion.

It took him some years to finally establish himself as a leading man with the romantic comedies Nenu Local (2017), Ninnu Kori etc. Later that year, he starred opposite Sai Pallavi in Middle Class Abbayi, portraying a young man with an eidetic memory. The film emerged as a major box-office success, surpassing Nenu Local to become his highest-grossing release at the time.

Nani’s journey proves that there is nothing like patience and perseverance when it comes to success. Today, the actor’s networth is estimated to be something around Rs 150- Rs 200 crore,, as per a Siasat.com report. Nani also has an eviable real estate portfolio. According to ET Now news, he posssesses, Rs 10 crore farmhouse near Hyderabad and a villa in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, worth Rs 5 crore approximately.